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TOUR DE PALM COAST

Heavy Metal: 2 new heron sculptures unveiled in Palm Coast

This great blue is tilted so that viewers can see the intricate details of the piece. The two new sculptures are located to the left of the pier at Waterfront Park and can be easily seen from the pathway.

New-Tribune photos/BARBARA SALTER

By BARBARA SALTERCorrespondent

Published: Saturday, July 19, 2014 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 18, 2014 at 12:02 p.m.

PALM COAST — Two new great blue heron sculptures have joined the flock at Waterfront Park in Palm Coast.

A gift to the city from the Gargiulo Art Foundation, the graceful birds are now part of Flight of Life, one of the city’s permanent Art in Public Places projects.

The new life-size sculptures will be officially dedicated in a special ceremony planned for 8:30 a.m. today, before the start of the annual Tour de Palm Coast, a free six-mile bicycle tour along some of Palm Coast’s most popular trails in recognition of national Parks and Recreation Month.

Arlene Volpe, director of the Gargiulo Art Foundation, donated the latest great blue heron sculptures in memory of her children’s grandparents. A year ago, Volpe, Tom Gargiulo, founder of the non-profit art foundation, and his brother Frank donated the first four great blue heron sculptures in memory of the Gargiulos’ parents and the late Richard Schreiner, the Foundation’s 2012 Artist of the Year.

Volpe and Gargiulo were on hand early Wednesday morning to watch as city employees used muscles and a mini-excavator to help install the 130-pound sculptures designed by Stuart artist Anthony Gargiulo and cast in bronze by Vadim Volnov, owner of Gefest Arts in Bunnell.

While the artist shares the same last name, he and Tom Gargiulo are not related.

“I’d never heard of him before,” said Ton Gargiulo. “Arlene and I went to an art show in New Smyrna and noticed that one of the artists spelled his name exactly like mine, which is unusual. He turned out to be an artist who specializes in sculpting birds, some in bronze.”

“We went to his studio and were very impressed,” said Volpe. “Tom had a vision of great blue heron sculptures all along the shore of the Intracoastal Waterway at Waterfront Park.“

Bill Butler, the city’s landscape architect, stopped by the park on Wednesday to watch the installation of the sculptures on special stainless steel pedestals that were created by Volnov at his Bunnell foundry.

Volnov, a Russian artist who moved to Florida from New York in 2005, said that he and metal artist Wes Cackler of Palm Coast spent many days coming up with ideas for the pedestals that would showcase the birds to maximum advantage and stand the test of time.

“The pedestals are works of art in themselves,” said Butler. “Each has to support 130 pounds, and yet they look like grass, like reeds. They blend in beautifully and all you really see are the birds.”

Butler added that he and city officials were thankful for the Gargiulo Art Foundation’s generosity in making this happen.

“It’s major contribution to our Arts in Public Places program,” he said.

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